Face Down
by midnightfarie
Summary: Bailey Hartwell is a girl who's life is nothing but trouble, maybe that's why Reid can't keep his eyes off her, or maybe, our favorite bad boy has a bit of a hero complex.
1. Chapter 1

**This story was inspired by the song "Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Aparatus, it goes out to everyone who has every been in an abusive relationship. May it inspire you to have the strength to realize you deserve so much better.**

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A girl with short black hair named Bailey Hartwell lay trembling on the ground, it hurt too much to get up even though she told herself it didn't hurt at all. Pain is all in your head, the more you deal with it, the less you notice it, at least that was what everyone said. But it wasn't true she knew that, she had had enough bumps and bruises in her relationship to know that the pain never really faded. If anything it hurt worse every time, because every time she let it happen she lost a little more self-respect.

A big burly brunette, obviously a football player given his build and the fact he was wearing a Spencer Academy football uniform stood above the trembling figure of Bailey Hartwell. His name was Devon Berkley according to his uniform, and he looked down pitilessly at her. She held back the tears that threatened to force their way out of her icy blue eyes.

But Bailey Harwell didn't cry, not ever. Devon thought crying was a sign of weakness, and Bailey wasn't weak, it was one of the few things she could still say about herself with some pride. So Bailey did not cry. Devon stood impatiently, waiting for her to get up. Bailey knew she had to get up soon or he would get angry, so she slowly pushed herself up, biting back a cry of pain. She straightened up, staring at her feet. Devon reached out to touch her and she couldn't help but flinch.

Her cheek surged with a white-hot pain as Devon slammed his fist into it again. She fell to the ground again, laying face down and motionless.

"Damn it Bailey!" Devon yelled, Bailey stayed where she was, if she got up now he would just push her down again. He aimed a kick that caught her in the hip. Bailey bit her lip hard to keep from screaming, Devon kicked hard, ask any of the footballs Spencer's team used to practice. "You always do this! Why do you make me do this to you? You know that upsets me, I hope you straighten out before tomorrow, or I don't know what I'll do."

Devon stormed out of the room leaving Bailey alone. She lay there for a long time, letting the pain slowly consume her. Finally she lifted herself to her feet and walked tenderly to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror, a dark bruise was blooming across her cheekbone and several more covered her arms and body, the one on her hip was going to be especially nasty, she could tell already by the swelling in the surrounding area. She groaned softly and staggered away to her bed, collapsing into a restless sleep.

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**AN: Please Review! I don't know what else to say.**

**Just review people!**

**Midnightfarie**


	2. Chapter 2

**Since there was such a good response for the first chapter, I decided to go ahead and give you another one! I hope you like!**

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Beep, beep, beep! Bailey's alarm screamed angrily. She fumbled with it for a moment, trying to jab the right button, but being half asleep and very annoyed by the continuous beeping she hurled it across the room. It banged against the wall and let out one last pitiful beep before falling silent.

Bailey rolled tenderly off her bed. Her hip surged with pain as she got to her feet. She couldn't help but limp obviously as she walked. She'd have to watch that today. Last thing she needed was to draw attention to herself. The championship game was in two weeks and Devon would literally kill her if she messed that up for him. She gingerly pulled her school uniform on over her bruised body, shrugging it on over sore shoulders.

She walking into her bathroom and began to apply makeup to her cheek that had reached a deep purple. It took her almost twenty minutes to make the bruise vanish enough to pass for blush. She applied her usual heavy eyeliner and dark eye shadow and lipstick. She looked in the mirror at the face that confronted her. Her short black hair framed her pale face, her light blue eyes glared back at her. She was glad to see she looked tough, at least on the outside. She pulled her book bag over her shoulder, wincing at the pressure on her bruises, and strode proudly from her dorm.

She wasn't the type of girl people expected to be in an abusive relationship, she was tough and anything but a doormat, but behind closed doors, she was something else entirely. That was her, Bailey Hartwell, a different face for every occasion.

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Reid Garwin leaned against his locker, casually scanning the girls as they swaggered down the hall, flauntingly their stuff. Tyler stood beside him like the wannabe he was. But, to be complete honest, who wasn't a wannabe these days?

Then a girl caught Reid's attention. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful. She was unusually pale and her face was angular and harsh, framed by short black hair. Her nose hooked dramatically at the end, and was really crooked, like it might have been broken at one point or another. But it was her eyes that captivated Reid. They were an icy blue and carried a defensiveness Reid wasn't used to seeing. She wore heavy makeup and her jacket despite the fact that it was an uncommonly hot day for Ipswich, and she seemed to be limping slightly.

A guy with light brown hair wearing a letterman's jacket swaggered up to her and threw his arm around her shoulder. Reid noticed her cringe slightly, even though he was probably the only one who did. This alone made him continue to watch her as she went to her locker. She gingerly lowered her backpack from her shoulders, like she was extremely sore. She still didn't remove her jacket despite the heat.

She stuffed a few more books into her bag, then picked it up again even more gently, and hesitantly took the brunette's hand. The two of them walked off, leaving Reid thinking about what he had noticed. It was probably nothing, he told himself, but that wouldn't stop him from keeping an eye out for anything else bizarre with that girl.

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**AN: Please review!**

**Midnightfarie**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's been so long since I've updated, I have been swamped with school:( Enjoy the chapter!**

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Reid slammed his tray down on the table in the cafeteria as he slid into his seat. The noise of his tray startled every one at the table. It even managed to put a hold on Caleb and Sarah's make out session, Reid could have sworn there was a loud slurping noise, like a suction being broken. Caleb glared reproachfully at Reid; Sarah on the other hand just smiled cheerfully. "Hi Reid!" She chimed. Reid gave a little wave with his fork. "Hey." He said. He jabbed his fork into the meatloaf like substance as he looked about the cafeteria. Something caught his eye as he looked around the dinning hall. Blue eyes. The same eyes that had belonged to the weird girl he had noticed that morning, only, she was alone this time, carrying a tray. She was limping more noticeably this time. Reid nudged Tyler who was sitting beside him. "Who's that?" He asked. Tyler looked up and shrugged. "Who?" Kate asked, turning around in her seat. Reid indicated the girl. "Her." Reid clarified. "Who is she?" Kate looked at the girl for a moment, biting her lip in an attempt to remember. But then she perked up and Reid could visibly see the light bulb turning on. "Oh, that's Bailey Hartwell." She whispered, her gossiping preparing to kick into full drive. "She's totally taken, though, so don't even try, there's no point. She's dating Devon Berkley." Everyone looked at her in confusion. "You know, the quarterback?"

Everyone still looked confused.

"Does no one here put any effort into supporting our football team?" Kate asked, looking thoroughly hurt as everyone shook their heads.

"Is that guy?" Reid asked, pointing to the big guy he had seen Bailey with earlier, the guy swaggered confidently over to her and threw his arm around her again, nearly causing her to drop her lunch.

"Uh-huh." Kate said, nodding.

Reid slumped back in his chair and watched the two of them together, occasionally jabbing his lunch viciously with his fork. Devon was exactly what Reid would expect a football player to be. Guffawing with all his fellow players and checking out the cheerleaders as he held his girlfriend tight to his side, Bailey just stood there beside him, obviously bored, but she didn't say a thing. She only laughed halfheartedly at Devon's jokes, not that he paid enough attention to her to notice. Reid was watching them so intently that Bailey stopped and looked in his direction. Their eyes connected for a moment, and Reid hurriedly looked down at his plate. His cheeks started burning. Was he blushing? He hoped that no one would notice, no such luck. Just then Pogue strode up to the table.

"Wow," Pogue said loudly, stooping down and kissing Kate on the cheek. "Who made Reid blush?"

Everyone at the table turned and looked at Reid.

"Holy crap!" Caleb said, "Dude, you're blushing!"

"Am not." Reid said in an immature way.

"You're totally blushing." Pogue said.

Reid stood up, grabbing his tray, and glaring at all of them.

"Excuse me while I go find some real friends!" Reid snapped, turning away and marched off. He could hear them all burst into laughter as he walked away. There were some disadvantages to having friends who he'd known all his life, and this was one of them. They thought it was their God given right to ride his ass.

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**AN: Please Review!**

**Midnightfarie**


	4. Chapter 4

**To all my wonderful reviewers! This one's for you!**

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Reid made a promise to himself as he leaned against the wall opposite the cafeteria door. He would find out everything he could about Bailey Hartwell, what made her tick, but most of all what made her flinch. He told himself, over and over again, it was natural, he was curious, but he could only lie to himself for so long. As Bailey and Devon left the cafeteria hand in hand, Reid a rage boiled up inside of him that he didn't understand.

It was probably for this same reason that Reid found himself still watching her, even two days later. He'd come to recognize the way she walked, the way she only ever half smile, but most of all the way she talked, even though he had only heard her voice twice. Once at the end of a history class they shared, she lingered behind to speak to the professor, and again when she was in line for lunch in the cafeteria and Devon came up beside her.

She didn't talk how Reid expected her to. She looked tough and maybe even a little mean, but her voice was soft and gentle, almost breakable. Although her voice was soft, it was low; she would definitely be an alto if she sang. It was kind of sexy, the way she talked, but sexy in the way that she obviously didn't mean it to be, it was just her, unbelievably sexy, unbeknownst to her.

Her short black hair was always clean and always neat. She was very pale, like she just didn't tan, and she kind of slouched like she was trying to go unnoticed, trying to disappear into the crowd, something that no matter how hard she tried she would never succeed at.

So Reid continued to watch her, always from a distance. He didn't mention her again to his friend's because he knew they would just tease or call him a stalker. He just couldn't help it. The more he learned about her, the more intrigued he became. It wasn't until the next Monday that he learned too much.

After school, Reid realized that he had forgotten his history book in his classroom. He would have just left it, but his professor was tough and it was an important assignment, so begrudgingly he left the dorm and the rest of his homework. Slowly he walked down the halls; they were empty and creepily quiet. He had never much liked Spencer, especially not when he was alone, creepy things tended and he tended to know what the creepy things were.

He reached the hall his history classroom was on and was surprised to see light leaking out from under the classroom door. Figuring someone had accidentally left it on, he pushed it open. As he did, he heard something slam to the floor. Peeking inside like a small child looking somewhere he shouldn't, he saw Devon Berkley and… Bailey, struggling to get to her feet, she had obviously been the falling object. She whispered quietly to Devon, in a soothing voice, so quiet that Reid could barely hear her even though she was only a few feet away.

"Baby, I didn't say anything, I would never… you know that." She whispered, but Devon's anger was beyond control.

"Who then, bitch?" He yelled as he shoved her back to the ground. "Who else knew? Who else could have known?"

"I don't know!" Bailey said, her voice quavering, she stood up once again. "Devon, I wouldn't, I love you."

"Stop lying!" Devon yelled, lifting his arm to strike her, but it stopped short.

Reid had come up behind him and grabbed hold of Devon's arm before he could touch Bailey again.

"Cool it, man." Reid said firmly. Devon whirled around and glared angrily at the blond.

"Piss off." He snapped, shoving Reid away.

"How about you, 'piss off'?" Reid replied rudely.

"Who the hell are you, coming in here and telling me what to do?" Devon asked, giving Reid a shove. "What do you know about it?"

"Well, my mother taught me enough to know that I shouldn't hit a girl!" Reid replied, shoving him back. "And I wasn't telling you, I was warning you. Cool it."

"Screw you." Devon retorted and stormed off, slamming the door behind him.

Reid looked over at Bailey who glared angrily at him.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She asked angrily, her voice rising to a yell. Reid gapped in astonishment.

"Excuse me?" Reid asked in confusion.

"Do you make a habit of poking your nose in where is doesn't belong?" her eyes burned with a fury that Reid didn't expect.

"I just saved you," Reid snapped hotly, his jaw tight with annoyance. "You know that, right?"

"Did I ask you to?" Bailey asked, but stormed off before Reid had a chance to answer.

She opened the door and slammed it again as she left.

"You're welcome?" Reid said uncertainly as he stared at the closed door. After a moment, he left the classroom, forgetting his history book.

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**AN:Please Review!**

**Midnightfarie **


	5. Chapter 5

Bailey did a pretty good job of avoiding Reid over the next few weeks, and on the rare occasions when their eyes meet the tension could be cut with a knife. She obviously wanted nothing more to do with Reid, but it took more than that to dissuade Reid Garwin. He was what you could call, persistent. He kept watching her, but his real surprise came three weeks after their encounter in the history classroom. Friday morning, Reid was walking down a hallway lined with lockers when he found himself yanked into a closet. 

"What the…" Reid exclaimed in alarm.

"Shhh!" A voice scolded. A light flipped on and Reid found himself inches away from Bailey Hartwell, their bodies almost touching in the cramped space of the broom closet. Reid's breath caught in his chest.

"Reid? That's your name, right?" Bailey asked and Reid nodded. "I just wanted to apologize. When we met the other day, I was a real bitch, and I just wanted to say sorry. I know you had the best intentions."

"So, you broke up with him?" Reid asked.

"What?" Bailey asked, confused.

"Devon, you broke up with him, right."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bailey said firmly.

"He hit you." Reid snarled.

"I fell." Bailey insisted and spun on her heel to leave the closet. Reid grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. She unconsciously flinched at his touch.

"He hit you." Reid whispered.

"You need to stop telling lies." Bailey whispered dangerously, her eyes pleading for his understanding.

"Fine," Reid said, letting go of her and pulling a piece of paper and a pin from his backpack, scribbling his number, "but, if it happens again, call me."

Hesitantly Bailey took the offered paper, nodding as she stared at the floor.

"Thanks." She whispered walking away. "I'll call you, if I fall again."

"Good." Reid replied, sadly watching her as she left. He couldn't help but wonder how a girl like her had fallen into a pit like this. She was even defending him. Reid would never understand that.

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**AN: You know the drill, review!**

**Midnightfarie **


	6. Chapter 6

Devon stormed into Bailey's dorm in a rage. Bailey could taste his anger as her slammed her against a wall. Bailey cried out in pain, hearing and feeling a rib crack. Her eyes watered.

"What the hell, Bailey?" Devon demanded. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bailey insisted as he let her slide to the ground.

"What do you think I am? Stupid?"

"Tell me what I did!" Bailey screamed as he pounded his fists into her face.

"Are you in love with him?" Devon asked, "Are you in love with the bastard?"

"Who? I don't know what you're talking about!" Bailey whispered, shaking from pain.

"Are you in love with Garwin?" Devon asked.

"No!" Bailey persisted.

"Then why were you in a closet with him, Bay?" Devon pressed. "Didn't think I'd find out did you? Stupid bitch."

He beat on her for what seemed like hours. She had never seen him this angry. He didn't leave until sometime after she lost consciousness.

She woke up a couple hours later, laying on the floor, bleeding, barely able to move. She tried to pull her phone from her pocket with her right hand, but the pain that shot through her arm was so intense that she was caught by a wave of nausea. She then tried her left hand, and managed to pull out her phone. Dialing the number, she lifted it to her ear. It rang, and it rang.

"Hello?" asked a deep groggy voice.

"Reid?" Bailey asked, forcing herself to stay conscious.

"No, Tyler. Let me wake him up."

Bailey could hear some stumbling around and a thump noise, then a loud "Ow!"

"Reid, girl, for you. She sounds drunk." Tyler said and the phone crashed.

"Dude, what the hell, this phones new." Reid snarled. "Hello?"

"Reid?" Bailey asked again.

"Yeah, who's this?" Reid asked, sounding groggy.

"Bay - - Bailey." She whispered.

"Bailey? Are you okay? What's going on?" Reid asked, Bailey could hear his worry.

"I need help, I'm hurt real bad." She whispered. "I fell again."

"Damn it!" Reid yelled. "Where are you?"

"My dorm. 319, third floor."

"I'll be right there." Reid told her, then said to Tyler. "Keys, give me your keys."

"No doctors." Bailey pleaded.

"I'll be the judge of that." Reid growled back. "Just stay where you are."

"No worries there." Bailey told him.

"I'll be right there." He promised.

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**AN: So, what do you think? Let me know! Review!**

**Midnightfarie**


	7. Chapter 7

"Bailey

"Bailey?" Reid called as he pushed the door open. "God."

The sight that met his eyes was gruesome to say the least. There was blood, a lot of it. Smeared down the wall and pooled around Bailey's head.

"Bailey?" Reid asked, afraid she wouldn't answer.

"Reid?" She whispered weakly.

"God, I got to get you to the doctor." Reid whispered.

"I'm fine." she whispered, her voice high and distant.

"No, you're not." Reid insisted. "Can you get up?"

"With help, maybe."

Reid knelt beside her and gently helped her to her feet, he quickly realized that she wouldn't be walking anywhere and scooped her into his arms, hurrying out the door.

Reid sat nervously biting his nails as he waited for the doctor to come back. Bailey had been in there for an hour and it was 4 am but sleep was the last thing on Reid's mind. When they came in, Bailey told the nurse that she had fallen down the stairs, but Reid knew by the looks he kept getting that no one believed it.

Finally the doctor came out, followed by Bailey who lagged behind, on crutches. She looked almost as bad as she had covered in the blood. Reid jumped to his feet and hurried to the doctor.

"Is she going to be okay?" Reid asked.

"I'm right here." Bailey pointed out, "I can't be in that bad of shape."

"Well, she will be." The doctor said cautiously. "There was minimal internal bleeding, but the overall damage was extensive."

"Meaning?" Reid asked.

"Her leg is broken, her wrist is broken, and several ribs. As well as liberal bruising." The doctor explained. "But she'll heal."

"See, I'm fine!" Bailey said casually. "Let's go!"

Reid glanced at Bailey as he drove down the deserted road. The entire side of her face that he could see was blackened and she had several bandaged cuts.

"Why do you let him do it to you?" he reached out and lightly stroked her black and blue cheek, it was all Bailey could do to keep from flinching.

"He hits like a girl." Bailey whispered, avoiding the question. She suppressed an urge to tell the truth, there was something about Reid that made her feel like she could be completely honest with him, but she knew better. You can't be honest with anyone, she told herself. She had always had a weakness for hot guy, that's what had gotten her into this mess with Devon in the first place. But she was on the edge again. In grave danger of falling in love, but with someone very different from Devon. Reid was the epitome of beautiful, the way his blond hair fell casually into his eyes. The way his blue eyes, when they looked into hers made her feel completely naked, not in a sexual way, well maybe a little, but mostly she felt naked because she didn't think she could hide anything from him, and hiding was what she did best.

"You deserve better." Reid insisted, Bailey realized his hand still caressed her cheek, this fact made her blush madly, but it really wasn't visible through her colorful bruises. She pulled away.

"He loves me." She whispered pitifully, she didn't dare look into those blue eyes, because she knew she was lying and didn't need him to tell her that. Reid slammed on the brakes, causing Bailey to wince in pain. Reid turned and looked at her, leaning close to her. He was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek.

"No, Bailey, he doesn't, you're just Devon's bitch." Reid was breathing harder than normal, like something of what he had just said really bothered him. Bailey looked up into his eyes despite her better judgment. She saw something there that she was pretty sure hadn't been there before, but she didn't recognize it.

"It's not like I can do any better." She whispered, gazing into those big blue eyes, wishing he could understand what she couldn't tell him. "I mean, who would want Devon's rejects any ways?"

Reid leaned even closer to Bailey, lightly fingering her hair, which was drenched in dry blood. Reid's eyes bore into her own.

"Maybe I would." He whispered.


	8. Chapter 8

**I think you'll all like this one, so read on!**

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He was so close, Bailey could feel his breath on her face. For a moment she didn't move, his lips were almost touching her own when she finally made her decision. She turned her head away and his lips pressed against her cheek.

"I can't." She whispered. Reid's forehead pressed lightly against her cheek but it still hurt her. They sat there in silence, parked in the middle of a road.

"Why?" He asked. Bailey shook her head, either unwilling or unable to answer. Reid hooked her chin with his finger and turned her face to face his own. He gazed into her eyes, a deep penetrating gaze, and then whispered "Why?"

"I don't know." Bailey admitted.

"You don't owe him anything." Reid insisted, Bailey looked away and shook her head.

"It's not him." She whispered. "It's just…"

"Just what?" Reid pressed, gazing at her face longingly.

"You." Bailey said quietly.

"What's wrong with me?" Reid asked.

"Nothing." Bailey whispered, "Absolutely nothing, that the problem. You're so perfect. You deserve so much better than me. You deserve someone who can love you the way you deserve. I can't do that. I'm broken."

A tear trickled down her cheek, the first one she had cried in longer than she could remember. Once one escaped, she couldn't hold back the rest; her eyes flooded and began to drench her as well as her surroundings.

"I'm broken." She whispered again.

Reid turned her head to face him again, and caught her lips with his own, giving her no chance to resist. Bailey gasped in surprise, but after a moment, her resistance fell. Reid gently pulled away, brushing the tears from her face.

"You may be broken, but half of you is more than all of anyone else." Reid told her, stroking her bruised cheek. "And I would have to be a hell of a catch to deserve even a quarter of you."

Bailey smiled through her tears.

"You're so amazing." Bailey whispered. "If only you could see yourself the way I see you."

"I guess I'm not as bad as I'd like to think I am, am I." Reid asked, Bailey smiled and kissed his lips lightly.

"Not even slightly."

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**AN: Please review!**

Midnightfarie


	9. Chapter 9

**An update, finally, I'm sorry it's been so long, schools been murder!**

Despite her broken bones, Bailey felt as though she was floating on a cloud as Reid helped her up the flights of stairs to her

Despite her broken bones, Bailey felt as though she was floating on a cloud as Reid helped her up the flights of stairs to her room. They reached her door and stood, staring into each others eyes like the love struck teenagers they were.

"Good night." Bailey whisper as she turned the doorknob.

"Good night Bailey Hartwell." Reid whispered back.

"Thank you for saving my life." She said quietly.

"Always." Reid replied, stepping forward, catching Bailey's lips with his own.

"Bailey?" Asked a dangerously low voice. The two of them broke apart, looking in the direction of the voice, about five feet down the hall. There stood Devon, his fists clinched in rage. Reid stepped in front of Bailey protectively.

"Reid," Bailey whispered urgently in his ear, "get out of here. This is going to be bad and I don't want you getting hurt."

"You think I'd leave you alone with this guy?" Reid demanded. "Then you're a fool, as long as I'm around, he's never going to touch you again."

"Reid…" Bailey whispered pleadingly. "Don't do this, he'll kill you…"

"That's not going to happed." Reid replied, his eyes flashing dangerously, they seemed to grow dark for a moment, but they looked normal the next second. Devon let out a roar of anger and came charging down the hall, slamming into Reid. The two of them slammed against the wall beside Baileys dorm door. Devon slammed his fist into Reid's face, and the punches kept coming.

"Devon!" Bailey screamed, hitting the back of his head with one of her crutches. "Let him go, let him go!"

Reid managed to get in his share of punches as well, but Devon was a brick wall. Another powerful punch from Devon sent Reid to his knees. Reid tried to stagger upright only to be sent back down. He was losing. He could still hear Bailey screaming, but it seemed distant, because he was far away in a haze of pain. Black surrounded him, slowly closing in, and the punches kept coming. Reid lost consciousness as the endless punches continued. Bailey threw herself against Devon, managing to throw off his balance. The two of them fell to the ground. Baileys broken ribs seared with pain , but it was worth it, because Devon wasn't hurting Reid anymore. Bailey tried to get to her feet, but she couldn't, so she slid herself up against the wall beside Reid. Devon was already back on his feet. Bailey glared up at him.

"Leave us alone." She demanded, her voice low and dangerous.

"I love you!" Devon yelled. Bailey looked calmly into his eyes.

"No. You don't. If you loved me, you never would have hit me. I've finally found something, something worth having. I found that I'm someone worth loving. I found the real me is more precious than the me I pretend to be, and I found someone who loves the real me, and treats me the way I should be treated."

"Bay-Bay," Devon said quietly. "Don't leave me!"

"I'm giving you a choice Devon, a second chance. Be the person I know you have the potential to be, or I'll call the cops. I'll tell them everything you did to me. Everything."

"Bailey." Devon pleaded.

"Make your choice Devon, but I swear to God. You do what you did to me to anyone else ever again, I'll kill you. If you ever touch me or Reid again, I will make it my job to destroy your life." Bailey promised

Devon looked down at Bailey, obviously surprised and maybe even afraid.

"Leave now." Bailey demanded. Devon nodded his head to show he understood, and quickly walked away.

"Reid." A gentle voice whispered in his ear as he regained consciousness. Devon had stopped punching, and the painful blows had been replaced by a much softer and much gentler hand caressed his cheek.

"Reid?" Bailey whispered quietly. "Can you hear me?"

Reid groaned loudly as he opened his eyes, a pair of icy blue ones gazed back. A smile spread across her face and she brushed his hair from his eyes. They both were laying on the floor of the hall way, but neither were able to move.

"Hi." Bailey whispered, a smile tugged at the corners of Reid's mouth, but even smiling hurt.

"Hey." He whispered back. "What happened to Devon?"

Bailey's face hardened with a look of independence, then softened again as she laughed quietly and replied, "He got a taste of his own medicine."

"I guess that means you're not his bitch anymore." Reid said, impressed.

"I guess it does." Bailey admitted thoughtfully. They stared at each other in silence for a moment.

"I think you'll be okay now." Reid admitted.

Bailey looked to the floor at the notion and swallowed hard, whispering, "I know I will."

Reid sat up despite the pain in his ribs. He looked searchingly into her face. "I guess this means you don't need me anymore."

"No," Bailey agreed. "I don't _need _you any more."

Reid looked away sadly. Bailey crawled up to him and gently lifted his chin with her cold fingers.

"But it would be a hell of a lie if I said I didn't still want you." She whispered seductively.

Reid grinned; this was invitation enough for him. He wrapped his sore arms around her, forgetting about the pain for a moment only to yelp at the reminder.

"Damn it!" He swore loudly. "So much for Devon punching like a girl."

Bailey looked into his eyes.

"You took a beating for me." She whispered, Reid tried to shrug off her words. She trailed her fingers down his chest. His breath caught at her touch. He reached up and brushed her raven black hair behind her left ear, cupping her chin in his hand.

"I love you." He whispered, his voice deep and serious.

"I know." Bailey told him warmly. Her face was so close to his that their noses almost touched. Her lips so close he could feel the warmth of her breath that escaped from the small gap between them. The remaining space between them slowly disappeared until there was nothing left in the world but each other. "I love you too." She whispered against his lips.

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**AN: So, what do you think, should there be a sequel?**

**Please Review!**

**Midnightfarie**


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